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Will I still get spousal Social Security benefits after my ex-wife dies?
Jim Blankenship of MarketWatch has a lengthy piece here that explains spousal benefits. The specific topic here is what happens when your ex-spouse dies and you have been collecting spousal benefits off of him/her. The answer is the benefits cease. …
Plan to Claim Social Security at 62, Even if you Don’t
Maurie Backman’s piece notes the advantages of delaying Social Security until full retirement age of 67 (for those born in 1960 or later) or the maximum retirement age of 70. But, as she notes, life is unpredictable, whether it be…
Gen Z and millennials may not be able to count on Social Security
Jordan Awoye, managing partner at Awoye Capital, has an op-ed for CNBC here where she cites a Northwestern Mutual 2020 Planning & Progress study that states 23% of Gen Z and 26% of millennials actually believe there is little likelihood that they’ll…
2 Stocks to Supplement Your Social Security Income
Brent Nyitray explains Real estate investment trusts (REITs) in this piece. He says they are often fertile ground for retirees seeking income with little risk to supplement their Social Security benefits. REITs are required to distribute 90% of their income as dividends, and two…
How Heavily Should You Rely on Social Security?
Don’t rely on it is the short answer to the question of Social Security benefits. It pays a mere 40% of pre-retirement income. From inception it was always meant as one of two or even three pillars of a successful…
Can You Lose Your Social Security Over Delinquent Debt?
Robin Hartill tackles a very important question for those collecting Social Security who have some debt. While private creditors cannot garnish Social Security checks there are some scenarios where delinquent debt could result in smaller Social Security checks. They are below,…
Don’t let Social Security steer you wrong
Liz Weston of NerdWallet makes a strong case here for getting professional advice about Social Security. Claiming strategies are important, particularly where spouses are concerned. Weston gives examples of people who were led astray or given inaccurate information by the Social…
Are You Eligible for the $3,895 Max Social Security Benefit?
Katie Brockman is very clear right off the bat that very few will get the absolute maximum monthly Social Security benefit of $3,895. The average is $1,557 per month. But who gets the max and how is it possible? Length…
How much will your Social Security benefits be?
CNBC is out with a brief introduction here and then a great three minute video that explains just what you can expect to get in Social Security benefits based on what you now make. The current average monthly benefit is about…
What Happens to Social Security When You Die?
Social Security is the most important program for America’s seniors. yet it can be complicated to understand. Vance Cariaga tackles the issue of death and what happens next to one’s benefits. As she explains, payments simply cease on death. Funeral homes…